


names

by Ffwydriad



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Identity Issues, Names, caleb widogast's backstory and all the trigger warnings and spoilers that entails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 09:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18891421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ffwydriad/pseuds/Ffwydriad
Summary: His name is...





	names

1.

His father's name is Leofric. His mother's name is Una.

His name is Aldric, once upon a time, and he is happy with it.

  
2.

He knows he shouldn't be in the woods. Every story his parents have told him sit in his mind, unforgettable, alongside every dark fae tale that he has read in books.

But it is okay, he thinks. He has lights for the darkness, and fire for the wolves and beasts, and a spare name to hand over to any fae that asks one of him.

All the magic writings in that old witch's hut are going to be his. No doubt about it.

  
3.

He gives his name to Trent Ikithon, freely.

He is lent it, from time to time, it falls across his tongue again as easily as it did before, but he never gets it back again.

It matters little, in the moment, so hungry he is for the one given in it's place.

  
4.

His name is Bren.

It suits him.

  
5.

They had names before, he knows. They must have, gifted by their parents and given up as easily as he had given up his own. If he ever heard them, however, he can not tie them to their faces.

It doesn't matter. He is Eodwulf, and she is Astrid. All other names are irrelevant.

  
6.

When he goes home, his parents call him Aldric.

He almost asks them not to call him that, but the explanation sits too heavy on his tongue.

It is not the first time he has been called by a name that is not his, and if everything goes well, it will not be the last.

  
7.

When the fire is set, they scream out for Aldric.

Aldric tries to scream back.

Aldric hasn't existed for quite a while, now.

  
8.

There is no name on file for him.

It suits him. He doesn't have a name, anymore. He doesn't have a person, anymore.

  
9.

He spends a long time without a name. Words slip from his tongue when pressed, and none of them belong to him.

  
10.

When the goblin asks, he stutters, tries to find another lie to grab on to.

He thinks of monsters in the woods, he thinks of fairy tales and names to give to fairy folk who asked.

He tells her his name is Caleb Widogast.

  
11.

Eventually, he believes it.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: the first iteration of this was written before the bren reveal and it was all about how caleb widogast was a name caleb made up to trade to fairies and ended up giving to a goblin. that one was a lot more ficcy. this one was a lot more fun to write.
> 
> will i work on things that aren't weird esoteric angsty caleb drabbles? maybe.


End file.
